What is the greatest depth in the sea. The deepest sea in the world
The world's oceans are the most amazing and least studied object on our planet. How many mysteries it contains, and how many discoveries remain to be made by people studying the deepest seas and oceans on our planet.
The deepest seas in the world
The Pacific Ocean has broken all records for depth and contains four of the six deepest deep seas in the world. If you line up the seas by depth, both by height, in meters and kilometers, then their leaders are: the Philippine Sea and the Coral Sea, followed by the Banda Sea, the Caribbean Sea, the Weddell Sea and the Tasman Sea.
In first place is the Philippine Sea. It is located in the Pacific Ocean, near the Philippine archipelago. It is to this sea that the deepest oceanic trench is attributed - the Mariana Trench, thus the most great depth Philippine Sea 11022 meters. Even the average depth of this sea is more than 4 km, while the depth of the Sea of Azov, for example, does not exceed 14 meters.
There are volcanoes at the bottom of the Philippine Sea. Due to the enormous depth, marine life here has not been fully studied, mainly those found in the surface and coastal waters. It is known that sea turtles, dolphins, swordfish, and various shellfish live in the Philippine Sea. In addition, there are a lot of sharks that are dangerous to humans, including tiger and gray sharks. But the big ones deep sea inhabitants The Mariana Trench are definitely predators, and what kind of ones at that! Most of all they look like monsters with many teeth and huge jaws. Not all deep-sea fish have eyes, and if they do, they are not at all like the ones we are used to, because at the bottom of the depression there is complete darkness. But many have very developed organs that detect sounds. There are also simple organisms there that have existed for billions of years.
The second place is occupied by the Coral Sea, with a depth of 9140 meters, one of the most beautiful seas in the world. This sea is also located in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of New Guinea and Australia. For coral sea typical a large number of islands, and of course, many coral reefs. The most famous of them is Bolshoi barrier reef. Among the inhabitants of the Coral Sea - sea stars, hedgehogs and turtles, flying fish, a lot of various types shrimp, crustaceans and crabs.
Third place rightfully belongs to the not very large, but very deep (up to 7440 meters) Banda Sea. It is located off the coast of Indonesia, and also belongs to the Pacific Ocean. This is a volcanic zone and the islands in the Banda Sea are of volcanic origin. In this sea live dolphins, squids, jellyfish, octopuses, nautiluses, sharks, stingrays, and even sea snakes.
The Caribbean Sea is in fourth place in the depth ranking. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean between the South and Central America. The depth of this sea is 7090 meters, and among the depressions and rises at the bottom lie sunken frigates and galleons. The search for sunken treasure continues to this day, and many countries dispute the ownership of these treasures.
How deep is the Black Sea?
The Black Sea is not the deepest sea in the world, but among the inland seas of our country it ranks first - its greatest depth is 2258 meters. Compared with Sea of Azov, whose depth is only about 14 meters, or the Baltic (500 meters the greatest distance to the bottom), the Black Sea is very deep. It also differs from other seas in our country in that part of its shores are mountains (the Caucasus, the southern coast of Crimea), which go into the water at a steep angle. Because of this, the bottom slope in these places is greater. But there is also shallow water - this is the northwestern part of the Black Sea.
The deepest sea in Russia
Russia - huge country, and its shores are washed by many seas, but most of them are in the North and East of the country. But the seas of the Arctic Ocean do not have the same depth and size as the seas of the Pacific Ocean, located near eastern shores our country. This is explained by the structure earth's crust in those places. Three seas are located in the Pacific Ocean in eastern Russia: the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk and the most northern of them - the Bering Sea. They are separated from the ocean itself by islands (Kuril, Japanese and Aleutian).
Next come the ocean depressions, including one of the deepest in the world - the Kuril-Kamchatka depression with a depth of 9717 meters. If we arrange these seas in order of decreasing depth, we get the following: the leader will be the Bering Sea with a maximum depth of 4151 meters. Then comes the Sea of Okhotsk, its depth is 3916 meters. And on last place will turn out to be the Sea of Japan, since it, although slightly, is inferior to the Okhotsk Sea, its maximum depth already only 3742 meters. As you can see, the deepest Russian sea - the Bering Sea - is far behind world leaders.
However, this is not all the most interesting things that can be said about the deepest sea in Russia..
Which sea is the deepest in the world?
There is no clear answer to this question, because depth can be assessed in different ways. Usually they still take the maximum depth for comparison, but you can also consider the average depth of the sea. Or the depth of most of the sea. True, no matter how deep the sea is, it still cannot be compared with the ocean depressions. Greatest depth was measured in the Mariana Trench - 11022 meters.
It is essentially a deep-sea trench, and the name of the depression is given after the Mariana Islands located nearby. And, since the Mariana Trench is now classified as Philippine Sea, then it became the leader in depth among all the seas on the planet. True, even without this depression, the Philippine Sea is the deepest in the world; the maximum distance to the bottom, according to some sources, is 10,265 meters.
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The sea is a body of salt water that is connected to one of the five oceans. But some seas are located inside the continent, others are considered part of others, and others are considered a component of the ocean. There are about 90 marine bodies of water on our planet, which differ in size, shape, depth, and the presence or absence of shores.
The top 10 includes the largest seas in the world by area.
10. Sea of Okhotsk
Okhotsk opens the top ten largest seas in the world with an area of 1.6 million square meters. km. and a maximum depth of 4 thousand meters in the Kuril Basin. It washes the shores of Japan and Russia. Previously, the sea was called Kamchatka. They began to call it Okhotsk in honor of the Okhota River, which flows into this sea. Its waters abound with species the most valuable fish, such as salmon, chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, chum salmon and others. The Kuril Islands are located in the Sea of Okhotsk.
9. Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is the largest in Russia, its total area is 2.3 million square meters. km. Its waters belong to the Pacific Ocean, it washes the shores of the United States and Russia, being the water border between the states. Deepest point seabed reaches 4 thousand meters. The sea received its current name in honor of the explorer and navigator Bering, who most devoted his life to the study of sea waters. In the 13th century, Beringovo was called Bobrovoe or Kamchatka. The sea is covered with ice almost all year round, but despite this, about 240 species of fish are found here, including valuable species that are of interest for fishing.
8. Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean is one of the largest seas on the planet. Its area is about 2.5 million square meters. km., and the maximum depth can reach 5 thousand meters in places. The sea washes three parts of the world at once - Africa, Asia and Europe. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar. An integral part Mediterranean Sea are the Aegean, Adriatic, Ionian and Tyrrhenian. All together they form one big sea. It's very rich fauna, numbering about 550 species of fish alone, 70 of which are found only in these waters. The Mediterranean Sea also abounds in sharks and has about 15 species that are dangerous to humans.
7. Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean ranks seventh in the ranking of the largest seas in the world by area. Its size is about 2.7 million square meters. km., and the greatest depth is about 8 thousand meters. It refers to the pool Atlantic Ocean. The sea received its name thanks to the Indian tribe of the Caribs who lived on its coast. The second name of the sea body of water is Antilles. There is a version of scientists that the Caribbean is the source of the largest number of hurricanes in the Western Hemisphere. Disastrous natural phenomena They regularly destroy the buildings of the inhabitants of the islands and the coast of the basin.
6. Weddell Sea
Weddell ranks sixth on the list of the largest seas in the world. Its area is 2.9 million square meters. km., and the greatest depth reaches almost 7 thousand meters. Is marginal sea in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, between the western part of the Antarctic Peninsula and Coats Land (east). The Weddell Sea is considered the coldest and cleanest sea in the world. The water here is surprisingly clear. A special feature of Weddella is the fact that the water temperature in it can reach minus 25 degrees, but does not freeze! The local fauna is represented by marine animals such as penguins, seals, whales, etc.
5. Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea has an area of 3.3 million square meters. km and the greatest depth is more than 5 thousand meters. This is one of the largest seas on the planet in terms of area. It is located between New Zealand and Australia. It got its name in honor of the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman. The depth of the sea is about 6 thousand meters, which makes it one of the deepest. Flora and fauna of this sea in different areas is significantly different.
4. Coral Sea
The Coral Sea is in fourth place with an area of 4.7 million square meters. km. It belongs to the waters of the Pacific Ocean and is located between the shores of New Guinea, Australia and New Caledonia. The depth of the sea can reach more than 9 thousand meters in some places. The sea has numerous coral reefs and islands. This is where the most big reef on the planet, called the Great Barrier Reef with a length of 2.5 thousand km. and an area of 344 thousand square meters. km., which is larger than the area of Great Britain. The richest underwater flora and fauna is concentrated here.
3. Arabian Sea
The Arabian opens the three largest seas on the planet. Its area is approximately 4.8 million square meters. km., and the maximum depth is 4 thousand meters. Initially, the sea was called Eritrean. It is part Indian Ocean and washes the shores of the island. Somalia, Maldives, Djibouti, Iran, India and Pakistan. This is where they are located best beaches India for holidays. The world's most important trade routes pass through the sea. In addition, Arabian is one of the saltiest and clean seas peace. The underwater world is rich in vegetation and marine life. Here you can meet rare species animals such as the green sea turtle or hawksbill turtle. The Arabian Sea is considered one of the most popular among ecotourism lovers.
2. Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is the largest coastal sea, with an area of approximately 5.7 million square meters. km., and the maximum depth in some places can reach 11 thousand meters. Here is the deepest trench on the planet, which is called Mariana. The sea is located not far from the Philippine archipelago, hence its name. It does not have clear coastal boundaries: it is separated from the ocean by groups of islands: the Philippine Islands, o. Honshu, Kyushu, Ryukyu and about. Taiwan. Philippine waters are inhabited by many species of fish from small to giant. Industrial fishing for tuna takes place here, which is considered one of the most valuable marine products.
1. Sargasso Sea
The Sargasso Sea tops the list of the largest seas in the world. Its area reaches 6-7 million square meters. km. and may vary depending on sea currents. The uniqueness of this sea is that it has no shores. Its water boundaries are considered to be three ocean currents. The shape of the sea is a large-scale ellipse of light green color. It received this shade from abundant underwater vegetation in the form of algae. Just imagine: about one square meter there are about two tons of underwater plants! This is where the second name came from, which Sargasso received from Columbus - “a jar of algae.” The depth of the sea in some places can reach about 7 thousand meters. average temperature here it ranges from 20 to 28 degrees above zero.
In modern geography, it is customary to distinguish 90 seas, each of which is classified according to certain criteria(depth, surface area, type of coastal isolation, percentage of salts contained, temperature of the upper layers of water, access to the ocean). Some seas have a controversial status, since their continuous coastal boundaries and water composition allow them to be called lakes. The deepest seas arose where large faults in the earth's crust were flooded by the ocean. Relatively shallow seas were formed by flooding the coastal areas of continents. This review covers largest seas in the world, the area of which is measured in millions of square kilometers. This indicator regarding a specific object may vary in different sources: research continues, and the boundaries of the seas are quite mobile. For example, a border fencing off sea waters From the ocean, not only reefs, underwater rocks or areas of continental land can be considered, but also unstable processes in the form of currents.
10. Tasmanovo
Between New Zealand and southeast coast Australia is home to one of the largest seas on the planet, with an area of 2.3 million square meters. km. The name arose from the name of the first discoverer, Abel Tasman, but another navigator, the notorious James Cook, made a greater contribution to the exploration of these waters. The capricious nature of the sea belonging to the Pacific Ocean basin is demonstrated by periodically occurring squally winds, formed in the space of forties latitudes. Storms are a major obstacle to shipping throughout the year. The water area lies in three climatic zones, which significantly affects the diversity of species marine fauna and flora.
9. Mediterranean
Occupying an area of 2.5 million square meters. Kilometers, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the largest in the world. In ancient times, entire civilizations formed and developed around this huge stretch of sea water. Now the Mediterranean waters are connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar, which has unstable tectonic plates. It is their movement that causes periodic shallowing and subsequent filling of this space with water. They have access to the Mediterranean coast European countries, as well as states in Africa and Asia. Vegetable and animal world The water area is characterized by diversity. Shark species that are quite dangerous to humans also live here.
8. Caribbean
The vast Caribbean Sea, often featured in literary novels about adventures and films of similar themes, has an area of 2.7 million km². Through the Panama Canal it gains access to the Pacific Ocean. The connection on the western side with the waters of the Gulf of Mexico makes it possible to attribute it to the Atlantic basin. Borders Caribbean Sea in the north and from east direction became the Antilles, from the south and west the sea meets the lands of South and Central America. In the coastal zone you can find many corals and rare species of algae. The fauna can surprise you with curious species of reptiles, fish and mammals. Favorable climate allows you to relax in the Caribbean at any time of the year, which cannot be said about certain regions of the Mediterranean belt.
7. Weddell Sea
Almost constantly, an area of 2.9 million km² of water is covered moving ice. The huge sea, named after the Scottish whaler, is located in the Atlantic sector of the ocean, only recently marked on the map. The Southern Ocean is the least explored area: movement here is extremely difficult due to the large number of drifting ice mountains - icebergs. However, this circumstance also has positive point: The water remains crystal clear. Seals and whales live here. Researchers of this region often encounter unique, but very dangerous phenomenon, called the "flash freeze". It can be observed when the water temperature begins to drop rapidly. The ship passing at this moment is forced to stop movement, and the crew is forced to evacuate, as the ship finds itself trapped in ice.
6. Fiji
Fiji ranks 6th in the ranking of the largest seas in the world. The sea is named after the islands it washes. The state became a kind of border New Zealand, as well as the neighboring Coral Sea and Tasmanovo. Water space at 3.2 million sq. kilometers, it was decided to assign a similar geographical status due to the deep basin located in the central part. The depth at the bottom point furthest from the surface is more than seven kilometers deep. Belonging to the pool Fiji's Pacific Ocean covers the junctions of lithospheric plates, which means the region is highly seismic. The archipelago of islands of the same name arose due to changes in relief under the influence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The fauna is a true paradise for snorkelers. Many coral reefs become a gathering place for colorful fish different sizes. Not so harmless inhabitants live in the depths: sea snakes, gray sharks, stingrays.
5. South China
Opening to the Pacific Ocean, the South China Sea covers 3.5 million square kilometers, which places it in the middle of the top ten largest seas in the world. A number of states in South and Southeast Asia are located on its shores. The sea has great value in the field of trade and transport communication. The largest sea route for commercial vessel traffic runs through the Singapore Strait. Warm sea waters attract a huge tourist flow. Many developed beaches coexist with absolutely wild ones. The Gulf of Thailand, so beloved by tourists, on the shores of which those visiting Thailand relax, also communicates with Pacific Ocean through the South China Sea. Among the representatives of the animal world, it is necessary to highlight a huge volume commercial fish, crabs, crayfish and shrimp. Economic value of a natural salt water body (in in a broad sense) is formed due to open gas and oil fields.
4. Arabian
Formerly known as the Persian, this large sea communicates with the Indian Ocean. Those who come to relax in the Maldives and the best Indian resorts get acquainted with the sea coast. The water is surprisingly clean and very salty. The border is the Andaman Sea, familiar to tourists from trips to the island of Phuket. The space, covering 3.9 million square kilometers, cannot be called teeming with islands. There are few of them here, the largest one belongs to the territories of Yemen. The underwater world can amaze with its diversity of species. Lots of red algae and kelp, among the fauna - exotic angelfish, sardinella, sea turtle, clown fish.
3. Coral Sea
Opens the three largest Coral seas in the world. In the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean, this sea is a real pearl, an exquisite decoration and a curious geographical object that can be explored from different angles. Fully justifying its name, the Coral Sea demonstrates the largest on the planet coral reef, called the Great Barrier. He is a separate ecological system and an attractive space for research sea creatures. In addition to corals, which are considered a natural treasure, there are a huge number of species of sharks and mammals, among which schools of dolphins and dugongs have been spotted. The sea borders the northeastern coast of Australia, the Solomon Islands. The surface of 4.8 million km² hides unpredictable terrain at depth. Many atolls give way to depressions and crevices. The shelf in shallow water is represented by sand of volcanic origin, the deep bottom is lined with silt.
2. Filipino
If it were not for the unique sea, demonstrating the absence of boundaries in the usual sense, the Philippine waters would take a leading place in the ranking of the largest seas on Earth. Its area is 5.7 million km2. The name appeared in honor of King Philip II by the decision of the discoverer, a Spanish subject, Fernando Magellan. The Philippine Sea is surrounded by islands that act as boundaries. Most of them belong to Japan. The deepest sea basins are located in the space of this sea (Philippine and Mariana). Surprisingly, even at a depth of ten kilometers, a rich fauna was discovered, represented by mollusks, crayfish, bacteria and protozoa. Pacific waters are constantly mixed with sea waters through strong vertical currents. This phenomenon causes a relatively constant level of salinity and changes in the shades of water from rich turquoise to sky blue.
1. Sargasso
The Northern Trade Wind Current, the Canary Current, the North Atlantic Current and the Gulf Stream are the boundaries of the most mysterious and big sea on the ground. Not having coastline, it is capable of spilling, covering an area of 6-8 million km². Scientists attribute it to the Atlantic Ocean basin; in the northern part, the location of a mysterious place is noted Bermuda Triangle. There are no storms here: the perimeter surrounded by currents is a permanent anticyclone zone. The water level exceeds the ocean level by 2 meters: currents drive water along the surface, then it sinks to the depths, and an outflow occurs. sea surface colored green due to a significant accumulation of algae that appears in this sea and disappears there.
The largest seas in the world belong to the waters of one of the five oceans. Until 2000, only 4 were traditionally identified, but scientists of the International Hydrographic Organization decided to indicate on the map South ocean, washing the shores of Antarctica. Many researchers still consider this geographical object to be conditional, since its border on the northern side has very vague outlines.
The deepest seas in the world
The depths of the sea are mysterious; to this day there remains a lot of unknowns. Despite all the technological progress, the abyss of water remains largely unexplored, and people know little more about them than about space.
It is not surprising that every year new species of fish and other marine life, make further discoveries at the bottom and in the water column.
And even regarding the depth of the seas and their deepest points, scientists do not deny that new discoveries can occur at any moment. However, a rating of the deepest seas already exists, and it is worth studying, if only to understand the reason for the lack of knowledge of the abyss of water. After all, diving to such depths is really problematic and unsafe!
Fifth place - Weddell Sea
This sea ranks fifth in depth, its deepest point is at 6820 meters below surface level. It is located near Antarctica, washing its shores, limited to the Antarctic Peninsula. The greatest depth is in the northern part, South part The water area remains relatively shallow. Icebergs roam this sea, and the climate here is not very hospitable.
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Fourth place - Caribbean Sea
Despite their small sizes, is an exceptionally deep body of water that lies between South and Central America. Its depth reaches 7090 meters, and the bottom is strewn with treasures - this is exactly what treasure hunters think. In fact, they are close to the truth, because many galleons carrying New World gold sank here, and the place was known for pirate activity. But you should look for jewelry in the lowlands of the seabed, and diving to such depths requires special equipment, which requires a lot of effort and huge investments. And therefore, the mysteries of the Caribbean Sea still excite minds. The Caribbean Sea belongs to the Atlantic Ocean.
Third place - Banda Sea
The Banda Sea has a maximum depth of about 7440 meters. This body of water is located near Indonesia and is famous for its rich natural world. Found here rare dolphins, jellyfish and octopuses, nautiluses, stingrays, sea snakes, and many other living creatures. This sea belongs to the Pacific Ocean.
Just as the bottom of the Caribbean Sea is hypothetically strewn with jewels, so the bottom of this sea is also full of riches, but only natural ones. After all, the closer to the bottom, the higher the depth, the more rare and unique species manages to meet.
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Second place – Coral Sea
The Coral Sea is also classified as the Pacific Ocean; it borders Philippine Islands. The average depth here is 4 km, which is quite trivial, but there are places with deep-sea depressions. It’s also worth pointing out that the famous